Focusing device for cameras



, 1929. L. w. LESSLER ET AL FOCUSING DEVICE FOR CAMERAS Original Filed March 13, 1926 INVENTOR.

45mm I A. son/m 1 Lib M Patented July 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF/ICE.

LEW w. 'LESSLER, or JOHNSON CITY, AND CARL A. nonmmnmv, or IBINGHAMTON, new YORK, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, r0 AGFA ANSCO CORPORATION, or BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

FOCUSING DEVICE FOR CAMERAS.

"Original application filed March 13, 1926, Serial No. 94,496. Divided and this i 16, 1926. Serial No. 142,004.

The primary object of our invention is to provide a focusing device for cameras.

Other objects and advantages in details of construction and operation will be apparent as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing inlpart the construction of the focusing barre Figure 2 is a view similar-to Figure 1 with the focusing barrel in its completely assembled condition.

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the parts of the focusing barrel shown in Figures 1 and 2. v v

Figure 4 is a detail taken on the line44 of Figure 3. I

The reference numeral 1 indicates generally a camera, such as may be equipped with our invention.

A focusing lever 8 projects through one side of the camera and is provided with a finger piece 9. The inner end of this lever 9 is adjustably secured to a bracket 10 as by the pin and slot connection illustrated clearly in Figure 2 and comprising the slot 11 in the focusing lever, and the screws 12 passing therethrough to the racket 10. The bracket 10 is rigidly secured as at 13 to a rotatable barrel 14. This barrel 14 rotates upon a fixed barrel or cylinder section 15 rigid with the anchor plate 16 secured rigidly to the partition 17 within the camera. A third barrel 18 is slidably mounted within the barrel 15 and is guided in its sliding movement within such barrel .15 by means of pins 19 carried by the barrel 18 and engaging within straight slots or recesses 20 cut in from the outer edges of the fixed barrel 15. The slidable barrel 18 may carry the usual lens (notshown). The pins 19 of' the barrel 18 project through the straight slots 20 in the fixed barrel 15 and engage within cam slots 21 cut in from the edges of the outer rotatable barrel 14. It will be understood therefore, that upon r0. tation of the outer barrel 14, the cam slots 21 will engage with the pins 19 as such slots intersect the straight slots 20 in the fixed barrel, thus'causing the inner slidable barrel position shown in ins or application filed October 18 to move outwardly and inwardly with respect to such fixed barrel.

It will be observed also that the securing pins 13 for attaching the bracket 10 to the rotatable barrel 14 pass through such barrel and engage within slots 22 formed in the fixed barrel 15 concentric therewith. The straight slots. 20 in the fixed barrel and the outer ends of the cam slots 21 in the rotatable barrel both open to the edge of the respective barrels whereby when the rotatable barrel 14 is turned to the point shown in Figure 3, the slidable barrel 18 may be removed therefrom. If it'is desired to remove the outer rotatablebarrel, carrying the bracket 10, this mav be done bv removing the fastening pins 13 from engagement within the slots 22 of the fixed barrel whereupon these parts may be dismantled.

In the operation ofour improved focusing device and'with the arts in the assembled igure 2, the operator upon movingthe finger piece 9 rotates the outer barrel 14 connected to the operating 'lever bythe pin and slot connections 11 and s rotation of the outer barrel 14 causes the cam slots 21 to act upon the pins 19 carried by the slidable barrel 18 compelling such slidable barrel to slide outwardly or inwardly by virtue of the engagement of the .pins 19 within thestraight slots 20 in the fixed barrel 15.

It will thus be understood that a lens carried by the slidable barrel 18 may thus be quickly and easily focused.

We do not limit ourselves, of course, to the exact structure shown andv described other than by the appended claims, as many changes may be made in details of construction and operation without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. This is a division of our co-pending applicatlon No. 94,496, filed March 13, 1926.

We claim 1. A focusing mechanism for cameras com prising a support, a fixed barrel thereon having straight guide slots cut in from the free edge of said barrel on opposite sides thereof,

a slidable member in said barrel having pinsv engaging in said slots and projecting beyond said barrel, a rotatable outer barrel on said fixed barrel provided with cam slots in which the PI'OjGCtiIIg ends of said pins engage, and means for rot-a'tin said-outer-barrel, and a se arate pin and slot connection between sai rotatable and fixedbarrels whereby said rotatable barrel is maintained in concentric relation with said fixed barrel.

2. A focusing mechanism for cameras comprising a support, a fixed barrel thereon having straight guide slots cut in from the free edge of said barrel on opposite sides thereof a slidable member in said barrel having pins engaging in said slotsand projecting beyond said barrel;'a rotatable outer' barrel on said fixed barrel rovided with cam slots in which the pro ecting ends of'said pins en- 15 gage, means for rotating said outer barrel, a separate pin and slot connection between said rotatable and fixed barrels whereby said rotatable barrel is maintained in concentric relation with said fixed barrel, a bracket fixed to said rotatable barrel and a finger piece adjustably secured-to said bracket.

' LEW W. LESSLER.

t CARL BORNMANN. 

